Jul 7, 2022·edited Jul 7, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
As a lawyer who devotes 100% of her time analyzing the pathetic failure of the people who control the legal profession (and its law schools), I can speak to the misery that accompanies the practice of law. The white male power that controls the lives and careers of lawyers in marginalized groups, including women, is exemplified by the personality of the Federalist Society, the elite of the power behind the ABA, which established the paradigm for all bar associations. Do you know that the ABA was formed during the Civil War to promote the legal profession at that time?
Part of what is wrong with the legal profession is the paywall that everywhere limits and restricts access to information to anyone who chooses not to "belong" and pay dues for the privilege. The interests of the rank-and-file lawyers dealing with the stress, boredom, and inadequate recognition attached to an an ordinary career are ignored.
I mention this because the American Lawyer article cited by Robert is so restricted. I happen to have a membership that allows me to read one article a month (whoopee!) so I'm good. But the average concerned citizen will never read what those women lawyers have to say - because they are part of that elite group, serving clients who can afford them. (Follow the money.)
The problem is made worse by the refusal of partners and former partners in those big law firms to give a little of their own time to provide some help to a nobody like me who is taking on the lonely quest of trying to improve the lot of those ordinary lawyers, close to half of whom are sorry they went to law school. People who are influential in law schools are the same: fewer than 10% of professors who publish articles encouraging changes to the statisically proven unhappy state of the legal profession -- one that finds suicide as the third leading cause of death. -- will spend any time giving a little time to help someone achieve change. It seems that big firm lawyers and well-published professors have better things to do than spend an hour trying to address the realities of how the legal system is failing ordinary lawyers and the public they serve.
What the Federalist Society has achieved with Dobbs and the power within the two branches of government it now controls is an outgrowth of all that I speak of here. As wealthy as our legal system is, it is of little value to the ordinary people whose lives are affected by the failures of the legal profession and the schools that profit from putting them into a workforce that disrespects them.
We are dealing with this SCOTUS because good people have allowed the status quo to be shaped by the lawyers who controlled this country during the Civil War. It was just a matter of time.
Altho we keep talking about abortion. what is really at stake is who has control over what to do with one's body. Other actions that have been mentioned concerning the right to use contraceptives, but what about the right to take or not to take any different medicines; what about surgery. We tried once to control the intake of alcohol - a quick turn around. I'm sure there are other types of actions if we stop to think about it. I also agree that one of the worst things we did as a society was to allow the term right to life to refer only for abortions. Se conveniently forget about the death penalty, providing help to those after birth and those who may need long term care. As others have stated one can be pro choice without necessarily being pro abortion. The hypocrisy especially among those on the right is amazing. They pick and choose what they agree with from the Bible, from the Constitution among others, but don't believe others have the same right. I don't hear much about people being against abortion - if you don't believe in it, don't have one, but others should have the same right to allow for it. We are in a sad state when what the majority of people believe is not important [see the recent SCOTUS decisions]
When we amend the Constitution to guarantee the right to healthcare, including abortion, limit the right to posses guns to military or police service and secure the right to vote without undue burden, the first provision to be amended is the Preamble: we shall add the following provision from the Declaration of Independence, although with the one modification depicted in ALL CAPS:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all PEOPLE are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The Federalist Society is an anti-democratic front for the idea that government works best when run by an elite minority (ie. an oligarchy of wealth) because the masses are deemed incapable of self-government. This was the credo of the original Federalist political party in America, the worst aspects of which were espoused by John Adams and Alexander Hamilton.
Jul 7, 2022·edited Jul 7, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
PBS Newshour has been doing very touching "In Memoriam" segments to honor our brothers and sisters who have fallen since the many deaths that occurred from Covid. They have also done these segments for those in this country that have been murdered by men who should have never owned a gun, much less an AR-15.
While I am not an attorney why not ALL attorneys who support this demand the ABA disbar these six conservative Supreme Court Justices who voted for Dobson? Who voted to disregard their oath to uphold the Constitution? Let’s demand this. I can write my letter to the ABA. And you? I guess the Constitution does not require attorneys to sit on SCOTUS, but still….
It is outrageous that abortion has become criminalized. But the further insanity is that men, the fathers, are left out of the equation. They ARE half the equation. Women, mothers, will be imprisoned but not men, the fathers. But perhaps I’m crazy for applying logic to authoritarian cruelty.
A couple of points. First, let’s always remember, always, that Dobbs is an attack on human rights—the rights of all humans—and not “just” on the rights of women. It reminds me of Martin Niemoller’s reflection (sadly, too late), “First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist…”
Second, let’s remember that the Republican Party, now joined by a majority of the Supreme(?) Court, is engaged on a war on democracy, and a war on truth itself.
I am grateful that Kevin McCarthy did not have the power to never impanel the 1/6 Committee. American citizens living in California's 23rd District would have had no idea how close we came to a revolution followed by an autocracy and kleptocracy. Nor would the rest of us. Ugh. Kevin McCarthy and Gym Jordan are dangers to the republic.
I agree that it is (and long has been) essential that “we” engage concretely with the white evangelical Christians and Federalist Society members of our acquaintance - and to the extent feasible, otherwise too. Fear and ignorance of how to do this lovingly and effectively are barriers to our undertaking this critical task, but “we” can overcome our fear, and I am grateful that you and others are helping us “cure” our ignorance. Thank you, Robert, Pew Trust and David Frume.
I know you can't cover everything every day, Robert. But having just seen the BWC videos of white Akron policemen firing about 60 rounds in a matter of seconds at a fleeing, unarmed black man--many of these shots fired after Mr. Walker was hit and lying (presumably already dead) on the ground--I urge us all not to forget about such other horrible examples of American citizens being deprived of their rights by government actors who are totally out of control.
Writing from Texas…I agree with Robert that we should also be writing our local officials, even though at least here they are nonpartisan. My message to my city council was that I did not want the city budget spent on chasing down abortion seekers or providers. And from our school board, I want to hear how counselors and school nurses will continue to support our students, as our state govt. has turned that mission upside down. Lastly, as you hear talk about how all this might more broadly impact our economy, workplace, etc., encourage folks to take a look at world population review.org for a list of countries in which abortion is banned (R’s next goal). All third world.
Thank you for not mentioning Lindsey Graham. I have enjoyed the short respite of seeing that disgusting face on my TV screen.
Among the many things that have really killed me in this Trump era is how so many of these characters feel that they can just ignore subpoenas. Let's just imagine the thousands of black and brown folks in the system. What if they all just decided to do the same??
DA Willis is one bad ass and clearly a brilliant attorney leading a very serious investigation. I believe she will be what saves America.
Could we regain some kernel of truth with our own vocabulary correction? I suggest:
Pro-choice not Pro-abortion
Anti-Choice not Pro-Life. Just sayin" words matter. I count myself as Pro-Choice and Pro-LIfe (against the death penalty).
As a lawyer who devotes 100% of her time analyzing the pathetic failure of the people who control the legal profession (and its law schools), I can speak to the misery that accompanies the practice of law. The white male power that controls the lives and careers of lawyers in marginalized groups, including women, is exemplified by the personality of the Federalist Society, the elite of the power behind the ABA, which established the paradigm for all bar associations. Do you know that the ABA was formed during the Civil War to promote the legal profession at that time?
Part of what is wrong with the legal profession is the paywall that everywhere limits and restricts access to information to anyone who chooses not to "belong" and pay dues for the privilege. The interests of the rank-and-file lawyers dealing with the stress, boredom, and inadequate recognition attached to an an ordinary career are ignored.
I mention this because the American Lawyer article cited by Robert is so restricted. I happen to have a membership that allows me to read one article a month (whoopee!) so I'm good. But the average concerned citizen will never read what those women lawyers have to say - because they are part of that elite group, serving clients who can afford them. (Follow the money.)
The problem is made worse by the refusal of partners and former partners in those big law firms to give a little of their own time to provide some help to a nobody like me who is taking on the lonely quest of trying to improve the lot of those ordinary lawyers, close to half of whom are sorry they went to law school. People who are influential in law schools are the same: fewer than 10% of professors who publish articles encouraging changes to the statisically proven unhappy state of the legal profession -- one that finds suicide as the third leading cause of death. -- will spend any time giving a little time to help someone achieve change. It seems that big firm lawyers and well-published professors have better things to do than spend an hour trying to address the realities of how the legal system is failing ordinary lawyers and the public they serve.
What the Federalist Society has achieved with Dobbs and the power within the two branches of government it now controls is an outgrowth of all that I speak of here. As wealthy as our legal system is, it is of little value to the ordinary people whose lives are affected by the failures of the legal profession and the schools that profit from putting them into a workforce that disrespects them.
We are dealing with this SCOTUS because good people have allowed the status quo to be shaped by the lawyers who controlled this country during the Civil War. It was just a matter of time.
Altho we keep talking about abortion. what is really at stake is who has control over what to do with one's body. Other actions that have been mentioned concerning the right to use contraceptives, but what about the right to take or not to take any different medicines; what about surgery. We tried once to control the intake of alcohol - a quick turn around. I'm sure there are other types of actions if we stop to think about it. I also agree that one of the worst things we did as a society was to allow the term right to life to refer only for abortions. Se conveniently forget about the death penalty, providing help to those after birth and those who may need long term care. As others have stated one can be pro choice without necessarily being pro abortion. The hypocrisy especially among those on the right is amazing. They pick and choose what they agree with from the Bible, from the Constitution among others, but don't believe others have the same right. I don't hear much about people being against abortion - if you don't believe in it, don't have one, but others should have the same right to allow for it. We are in a sad state when what the majority of people believe is not important [see the recent SCOTUS decisions]
When we amend the Constitution to guarantee the right to healthcare, including abortion, limit the right to posses guns to military or police service and secure the right to vote without undue burden, the first provision to be amended is the Preamble: we shall add the following provision from the Declaration of Independence, although with the one modification depicted in ALL CAPS:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all PEOPLE are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The Federalist Society is an anti-democratic front for the idea that government works best when run by an elite minority (ie. an oligarchy of wealth) because the masses are deemed incapable of self-government. This was the credo of the original Federalist political party in America, the worst aspects of which were espoused by John Adams and Alexander Hamilton.
PBS Newshour has been doing very touching "In Memoriam" segments to honor our brothers and sisters who have fallen since the many deaths that occurred from Covid. They have also done these segments for those in this country that have been murdered by men who should have never owned a gun, much less an AR-15.
Here is the segment for the Highland Park victims. Get a tissue ready. https://www.pbs.org/video/in-memoriam-sot-1657133300/
And Uvalde: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/remembering-the-victims-of-the-uvalde-texas-school-shooting
And Buffalo: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/remembering-the-victims-of-the-mass-shooting-in-buffalo
While I am not an attorney why not ALL attorneys who support this demand the ABA disbar these six conservative Supreme Court Justices who voted for Dobson? Who voted to disregard their oath to uphold the Constitution? Let’s demand this. I can write my letter to the ABA. And you? I guess the Constitution does not require attorneys to sit on SCOTUS, but still….
It is outrageous that abortion has become criminalized. But the further insanity is that men, the fathers, are left out of the equation. They ARE half the equation. Women, mothers, will be imprisoned but not men, the fathers. But perhaps I’m crazy for applying logic to authoritarian cruelty.
A couple of points. First, let’s always remember, always, that Dobbs is an attack on human rights—the rights of all humans—and not “just” on the rights of women. It reminds me of Martin Niemoller’s reflection (sadly, too late), “First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist…”
Second, let’s remember that the Republican Party, now joined by a majority of the Supreme(?) Court, is engaged on a war on democracy, and a war on truth itself.
I am grateful that Kevin McCarthy did not have the power to never impanel the 1/6 Committee. American citizens living in California's 23rd District would have had no idea how close we came to a revolution followed by an autocracy and kleptocracy. Nor would the rest of us. Ugh. Kevin McCarthy and Gym Jordan are dangers to the republic.
I would have loved to read the American Lawyer article, but had to have a "company address." Can you post the article please?
I agree that it is (and long has been) essential that “we” engage concretely with the white evangelical Christians and Federalist Society members of our acquaintance - and to the extent feasible, otherwise too. Fear and ignorance of how to do this lovingly and effectively are barriers to our undertaking this critical task, but “we” can overcome our fear, and I am grateful that you and others are helping us “cure” our ignorance. Thank you, Robert, Pew Trust and David Frume.
I know you can't cover everything every day, Robert. But having just seen the BWC videos of white Akron policemen firing about 60 rounds in a matter of seconds at a fleeing, unarmed black man--many of these shots fired after Mr. Walker was hit and lying (presumably already dead) on the ground--I urge us all not to forget about such other horrible examples of American citizens being deprived of their rights by government actors who are totally out of control.
Today's Edition Newsletter, July 7, Reports from the front, is another strategic and tactical masterpiece!
Writing from Texas…I agree with Robert that we should also be writing our local officials, even though at least here they are nonpartisan. My message to my city council was that I did not want the city budget spent on chasing down abortion seekers or providers. And from our school board, I want to hear how counselors and school nurses will continue to support our students, as our state govt. has turned that mission upside down. Lastly, as you hear talk about how all this might more broadly impact our economy, workplace, etc., encourage folks to take a look at world population review.org for a list of countries in which abortion is banned (R’s next goal). All third world.
Thank you for not mentioning Lindsey Graham. I have enjoyed the short respite of seeing that disgusting face on my TV screen.
Among the many things that have really killed me in this Trump era is how so many of these characters feel that they can just ignore subpoenas. Let's just imagine the thousands of black and brown folks in the system. What if they all just decided to do the same??
DA Willis is one bad ass and clearly a brilliant attorney leading a very serious investigation. I believe she will be what saves America.